Wideband amplifier apparatus



p 1961 F. M. TRAPNELL, JR., m1 3,001,147

WIDEBAND AMPLIFIER APPARATUS Filed Aug. 14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.1 ef 1 H elN l 22 G1 e1 1 l 1 1 FIG. 2 17 18 eg 20 RIN \H e lN G2 FIG. 3

FREQUENCY .1 FIG. 4

FREQUENCY INVENTORiZ FREDERICK M. TRAPNELL JR. BY RAYMOND E BONNER AGENT Sept. 19, 1961 Filed Aug. 14, 1959 F. M. TRAPNELL, JR.. ET AL 3,001,147

WIDEBAND AMPLIFIER APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W B". W; R?

e e 2 :62 6v e P FIG. 6 18 e 62 FIG.7

FREQUENCY- FREQUENCY United States Patent 3,901,147 WIDEBAND AMPLIFIER APPARATUS- Frederick M. Trapnell, .lr., and Raymond E. Bonner,

Poughkeepsie, N.Y., assignors to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 833,751 1 Claim. (Cl. 330---84) This invention relates to signal amplifying systems and more particularly to such systems wherein substantially constant amplification is required over a wide range of frequency values.

Normally wideband amplification is obtained by combining a first amplifier having a bandpass that is relatively flat at higher freqencies, with a second amplifier having a bandpass that is relatively flat at lower frequencies, in such a way as to produce a composite amplifier having a passhand characteristic which is substantially fiatover the entire frequency range of both amplifiers. Most often this composite wideband amplification is accomplished by feeding theoutputs of both amplifiers into a so-called crossover network. The crossover network is a frequency selective network which divides the total frequency bandwidth desired into individual sections each section being supplied by a selected portion of the frequency spectrum of a related one of the amplifiers. These networks usually produce degradation of the passband flatness unless great care is taken in their design.

In the present invention wideband amplification is obtained by combining the output of a pair of amplifiers, however, instead of combining the outputs in a crossover network, a simple summing device is used. The proper combination of the outputs of the two amplifiers to give the desired wide and substantially flat bandpass characteristic is obtained by a negative feedback arrangement from the summed output around. the particular.

amplifier providing the lower frequency portion of the desired total composite bandwidth. By this arrangement the frequency selective characteristics of the conventional crossover network are obtained with, however, no

degradation of passband flatness beyond what the two amplifiers themselves produce.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved wideband amplifier apparatus.

It is another object to provide an improved wideband amplifier apparatus wherein the bandpass is substantially flat between certain predetermined limits.

It is a stillfurther object to provide an improved wideband amplifier apparatus by combining the outputs of a pair of amplifiers and which utilizes feedback to give a frequency crossover function with no degradation of the composite passband of the two amplifiers beyond what the two amplifiers themselves produce.

It is a still further object or" the invention to provide an improved wideband amplifier apparatus wherein a pair of amplifiers have selected portions of their output bandwidths combined by a feedback action around one of the amplifiers to accordingly obtain the equivalent effect of a crossover network function without the use of such a network.

It is another object to provide an improved wideband amplifier apparatus utilizing a low frequency amplifier and a high frequency amplifier so arranged with a feed-- back arrangement around one amplifier that there is obtained an overall frequency response that is within 1% of being fiat from zero frequency to the limit of the high frequency amplifier used. Itis a still further object of the invention to provide an improved amplifier apparatus wherein the outputs ofa pair of amplifiers having bandpass characteristics which out the utilization of the usual crossover network.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred em in the accombodiment of the invention as illustrated panying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a simplified block circuit diagram of the improved wideband amplifier apparatus.

FIG. 2 is the circuit diagram of FIG. 1 with certain portions thereof being shown in detailed form.

FIG. 3 is a graph of the frequency versus gain characteristic of the two individual amplifiers forming part.

of the improved amplifier apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a graph of the frequency versus gain characteristic of the improved apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 5 is the equivalent circuit form of the circuit arrangement of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a section of the circuit of FIG.- 2 removedtherefrom to facilitate description of the action around one of the signal junctions.

FIG. 7 is a graph of the frequency versus gain characteristic of two other representative individual amplifiers having different characteristics than the amplifiers whose characteristics are shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a graph of the frequency versus gain char acteristic of the overall system of FIG. 1 if the amplifiers having curves as represented in FIG. F are inserted paratus is shown in generalized block diagram form and therein in place of the amplifiers FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the improved amplifier aphaving curves as in comprises an amplifier it? which is defined as a high bandpass amplifier and which may have a frequency versus gain characteristic curve as referenced G1 in FIG. 3. gain of amplifier 10 is zero at zero frequency and increases steadily with increasing frequency up to point whereafter, the gain is substantially constantor flat for an appreciable mid-frequency span, with the gain then dropping off rapidly towards zero at the high frequencyend.

There is also provided another amplifier 11 which is defined as a low bandpass amplifier and which may have a frequency versus gain characteristic curve as referenced G2 in FIG. 3. It will be noted from the curve G2 that the i gain of the amplifier 11 is high at the low frequency e'nd and decreases steadily with increasing frequency. It will,

also be noted that the characteristic curves G1 and G2 intersect at a point in the amplifier 10 and this intersection point is usually defined as the frequency crossover point.

bandpass for the amplifier 10 and low bandpass for amplifier 11 are of course, descriptive of the fact that at the low frequency end of the frequency spectrum represented in FIG. 3, amplifier 11 is effective, while at the upper fre-;

quency end of the spectrum represented, amplifier 10 is effective.

An amplifier apparatus having a frequency versus gain characteristic that is substantially flat from zero frequency to the upper'frequency limits as represented byis applied from the conductor 13, through a conductor 14, a feedback function element designated 16, and a con v Patented Sept. 19, l9 6L It will be noted from the curveGl that the middle frequency range of The terms high ductor 17 to one input of a signal summing junction generally designated 18. A second input of the junction 1% has applied thereto through a conductor 19, a driving input signal from some suitable external source. The feedback signal applied through conductor 17 to junction 18 is subtractive or in avreverse sense relative to the external input signal applied through conductor 19 to the junction. The resultant difference signal generated on the output of junction 18 is applied through a conductor 20 and serves as the driving signal source for the low pass amplifier 11. The signal applied from the external source through conductor 19 to junction 18 is also applied through a conductor 22 to the input of the high pass amplifier 10 to drive it. It is thus evident that the feedback signal (conductor 14) from the output is applied around the low pass amplifier 11 only, there being no feedback around amplifier 10.

In the circuit of FIG. 1, the following is defined:

With the above definitions the following relations may be developed.

examining the voltages about junction 18 we can state that defining e; in terms of e we obtain substituting from Equation 5 into Equation 4, we obtain Therefore restating Equation 3 by substituting for e as defined in Equation 6, we obtain 2= 2( m o) It may also be stated that Therefore restating Equation 2 by inserting the equivalents for e; and e as set forth in Equations 8 and 7 respectively we have expanding Equation 9 to achieve e in a more usable form o= 2 in 2 o+ l in transposing 0+ 2 0 z m-lm r n( z m( 1+ 2) Solving again for e factoring Now solving Equation 1 for G using e in the form as developed in Equation 10 we have or rewriting in another form we have by factoring out 1/ H which we may define as the signal feedback constant we have It will be noted that Equation 11 developed above is a general expansion defining the overall gain of the amplifier system.

Now if we set the feedback constant l/H equal to 3;

G +G approximates G as does Kid-G and G at low frequencies accordingly becomes by sub stituting in Equation 11 v Referring again to FIG. 1, it will be noted that at high frequencies G goes to zero or is much less than G and therefore for the high frequencies G '+G approximates G and G at high frequencies accordingly becomes substituting in Equation 11 and remembering that EI=G at high frequencies At intermediate frequencies in order that the response he flat we require that (see FIGS. 3 and 4) G be much greater than G until G =GI. If this is so, then From examination of the above Equations 12, 13, and 14 it is thus evident that if G can be maintained much greater than G (so that the low frequency derivation of Equation 12 is maintained) up to the frequencies where G equals (1 then G or the overall gain for the feedback amplifier. Thus in FIG. 1, the low pass amplifier 11 fulfills these requirements as indicated in FIG. 3. The high gain feedback amplifier need not pass D..C. signals nor does it have to be the low pass amplifier that operates this way.

For example, in FIG. 7 there is shown; frequencies versus gain characteristics of two amplifiers, one amplifier having a relative flat gain G from zero frequency to an intermediate frequency where it drops off, while the other amplifier is a high gain amplifier'having. a nonlinear characteristic curve which drops oif atrboth the high and low ends. With these two amplifiers arranged in the circuit and with the high gain amplifier only having the feedback arrangement thereabout, the system frequency versus gain characteristic again becomes flat over an extended range as indicated in FIG. 8, in the same manner as indicated in FIG. 4 for the amplifiers whose gain characteristics are shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is indicated the circuit details for the amplifier arrangement indicated in block form in FIG. 1. The same reference characters on FIGS. 1 and 2 represent identical conductors and components while a more detailed circuit showing at particular points is explained hereinafter. A resistor R is connected between the output of amplifier 11 and the conductor 13, while a capacitor C is connected from the output of amplifier 11 to ground as indicated. The signal summing junction 18 of FIG. 1 is comprised of a resistor R as indicated in FIG. 6. The two amplifiers 10 and 11 are still shown in block form in FIG. 2 and may be any suitable commercially available amplifiers, the operation and circuit details of which are known to those versed in the art. For example, the amplifier 11 may be the model 11 1-A amplifier obtainable from the Kintel Division of Cohue ElectronicsS725 Kearney Villa, San Diego 12, California, this amplifier having a low bandpass and a high gain 1000). The amplifier 10 may be a model SKL 214B obtainable from Spencer-Kennedy Labora-'- tories, Inc., 320 Soldiers Field Road, Boston 35, Massachusetts, this amplifier being a high bandpass amplifier. The amplifier 11 has an output impedance designated R in the lower right hand corner while the amplifier 10 has an output impedance comprised of a resistor R and a series output capacitance C; as alsodesignated in. the lower right hand corner thereof.

Representative-values for some of the components of FIG. 2 are R h 100,000 R do 500 R, .a. megohms 2 C, ..microfarads 1.6

same reference indications in FIGS. 2 and 4 designate identical components. This circuit of FIG. 5 will be analyzed by conventional network analysis methods such as may be found for example starting at page 47 of the Standard Text General Network Analysis by Lepage and Seely-publishers, McGraw-I-Iill-New York 1952.

In the circuit of FIG. 5 the following is defined: e' eqiials the output of the high pass amplifiers R equals the resistive component of the output impedance of the high pass amplifier 10 C equals the capacitive component of the output im- :'-pe'c1ance'in series with the output of the amplifier 10 e equals the output voltage from low pass amplifier 11 C is to make the load impedance to the high pass aniplifier independent of changes in impedance looking into the low pass amplifier R is the load resistance for the high pass amplifier R5 is the resistive component-of the output impedance of the amplifier 11 e is the output voltage Five node points (0), (1), (2), (3) and(4) are also indicated in FIG. 5 and as a further definition.

e is the voltage at node point (3) and a; is the voltage at node point (4) while e (output voltage) is also the 5- voltage at node point (0 By definition the conductance in FIG. 5

Node o 1-is( 1-I- i)= 1 1 Node o z+ r( z+sa+ z)= i a The solution of these set of simultaneous equations to obtain e is efiected by the use of determinants as 25. follows We define:

Adding the second horizontal row to the first row, then,

adding the first column to the third column gives 92" v I 91 A: SC! SC1 Therefore multiplying long diagonals gives 7 I ran m.) 3+ u+ 1 2 C1+ 1 m (mm) (Equation 15) r 2( 1+82'] [g2(ga 1 v +g1 2)+ 1 1( 2+ 3)]+ 1 2s3 The solution continues; we define A by:

0 1 g2 1= 101 i-Hi1 0 u 292. I 0 Q2+U3+ISC2 Thereforei 5 1= 2 28s( 1+81)+ 1 1 i(2+ a+ C2) or (Equation 16) Solving for a: we have:

(Equation 17) 1 l in Where G gain of high freq. amplifier l0 e =input to high freq. amplifier e =output of high freq. amplifier 7 8 q I ('Equatioi:1,19) v i r Weexpand'the coefiicientsofthe terms of Equation V r a-,-?-'-G e g C C =(40-)(2)10' (2.56)lO (e where G5=gain oflow freq. amplifier 11.. a=-2.05 (e Referring now to FIG. 2, e is developed as follows 5 Redefining the constant or known portion of a as a' where: t we may then state that I e =input to the low freq. amplifier 11 (Equation 25) R =input impedance of low freq. amplifier 11 a=aein v r Rf=feedback resistor m We find coefficient b-I-d-H of Equation 24 by substi- The circuit around junction 18 in FIG. 2 is accordtuting from Equations 20 and 21:

ingly as indicated in FIG. 6. z I

From FIGURE 6 we may then state that +f z t z a i l mgi 1(g2+g3) V 0 0 m )9zgs 1+ ohmnu V g 0 15 ai i gi 'dgz-i qa) Expanding:

- Rm Rm 10 (21r)10 (.04762)(2)10- (1.6)10' e m" am a a t If we define Y 2o 10 (21r)10 (-9523)(2)10- (1.6)109 R T W9 in R! =A V dud -(4O)(2)10- (1.6)1O"(1+.002)e;, 25 -9.5e9 10- e0 a The expression for e becomes 3 e (Equation 20) a t e =e A+e (1A) 7 9 i -1] e =e A+e B 30 V The numerical valves for A and B are obtained by (d) (f) substituting in the above expressions for A and B the Redefining the constant known portion of b as b',. given values of 100,000 ohms and 2 megohms respeed as d, and f as f we may then state that tively, for resistors R and R We thus obtain (Vein 14;.04762 a5 q +f= +f s and B: 95238 (n r t To find terms h+i of Equation 24 we substitute from The solution continues. Equations 20 and 21 i The gain of the particular model high pass high fre- 40 W quency amplifier 11 is by definition h+i== G e glg g *K (e A+e ,,B)g g,g; 0

1 s 2 5 (Equation 21) G2 K0 5+ -..0TSL F7 ;V1:)(.04762)(2)(2)106(1)6 where K =10 and W =21r10 (for Kintel model 111A 105(210103 v r gain of 1000). L9523) (2) (2) 10" ('1) 6;, Substituting expression for e; (Equation 20) and G a (Equation 21) into the equation for e; (Equation l9)-we 0+ in) have 8+ W W0 t (h) (a (Equatwn 22) eFTGZeB'Z s+ Redefining the constant or known portion of h as 1;,

Substituting expressions for e; (Equation 18) and e; and l We may then Smethat (Equation 22) into Equation 17 for e we have =2 f 78in 0 (Equation 27) h 2 8+ o-l- We (Equation 23) (h) (0 e0: S [G1eing1C1C2}-l- To find term i of Equation 24 by substitution of known KQH- 02) 0102] values, we obtain 2 zg2 3 1+ 1 ng1C1m2+qa)]+ i aiaia: j: (g +g )C C 4 10- (15) 1.6) 10- [H2(!7a i +91 2) +9rC'1(g2+ Q3) 1 P919293 (Equation 28) We now rewrite Equation 23 using a shortened notation 10 24 10-15 for the coeificient of the terms:

To find term k of Equation 24 by substitution, we

(Equation 24) obtain: I S S b d h WW k= n 3 1+ 1 a=+ 1 1o2+ n or, A= I )1 where replacing a, b, d, f, h, r, k and l, with their re- 3 (1- 2) spective definitions as given below will again yield Equaon 2 10-=[1.603 1o )1+3.2 10 a The following values are known: (Equation 29) G0=2O,0OO R =R =500fl k=6.4O6 1O -s QZ ZX 10 22 2 2 To find term l of Equation 24 by substitution gknown C1=C =1. 6ufd. A=.04762 we Mam:

( Equation 30) ga-fl a we divide Equation 31 by e to obtain 's s+ W) +b's%+ +f's s+ e) W0) (j +sk+ (Equation 32) G: 2.05(lO' 8 [12.87(10-") 128(10") 18 e 1024(10") 8 [64.3(10" +6.406(10' )]S +[19.13(10- +8.03(10 )]S+23.9L [4(10) 9.97(1O- 18+ 1.22

To find the gain for different frequencies S in Equation 32 is given the values of 0, 10 10" and 10 cps. For S=0 For 8:10

.10 3;Ihe'refore; 1. I 994 T 11 0 For s=10 V e 205+1287+1280+19134-80.3+23.91

Gin 10,244-.643-l64.06+.4+99.7l+1.22

.- Therefore:

G -.99a5 For 8:108 i Therefore:

Therefore it is shown that the gain is constant within 1% for a frequency range of 0 to beyond kilocycles per second (observe that S has the dimensions of radians per second).

Referring again to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, it will be recalled that the amplifier 11 around which the feedback loop extends has a high gain at zero frequency (FIG. 3) which t en drops off with increasing frequency. It will be recalled that amplifier 10 has a gain characteristic that rises from zero at zero frequency to a point whereafter, the gain is substantially constant for an appreciable intermediate frequency, whereafter it drops off rapidly in a high frequency area. It will be noted in FIG. 3, the maximum gain of the amplifier 11 is substantially higher for most of its frequency range than the gain of amplifier 10. These amplifiers when combined in the circuit arrangement of FIG. 1 result in the overall gain characteristic as indicated in FIG. 4. 'It is not necessary that the individual amplifiers have curves as indicated in FIG. 3 in order to obtain a response as indicated in FIG. 4.

For example, referring to FIG. 7 there is shown the gain characteristic of two amplifiers which differ greatly from the characteristics of the amplifier represented in FIG. 3. Thus in FIG. 7, it will be noted that the amplifier with the characteristic G has an appreciable gain at zero frequency the gain being relatively constant for a low frequency portion, whereafter it drops off rapidly in the mid-frequency area. The amplifier with the characteristic G has zero gain at a low frequency point and then rises rapidly to a peak at a mid-frequency point, whereafter it declines to zero at a high frequency end. It will be noted that the maximum gain G is substantially greater than the maximum gain G The amplifiers whose gain characteristics are represented in FIG. 7 may be inserted into the circuit arrangement of FIG. 1 in place of the amplifiers whose characteristics are shown in FIG. 3, and the operation of the system will still be such so as to give an overall substantially flat system gain G from zero frequency to the high frequency end as shown in FIG. 8. The only critical point to be considered is that the amplifier 11 in FIG. 1 must be the high gain amplifier of the two amplifiers 10 and 11. Thus with the amplifier as represented in FIG. 7, the one having the curve designated as G is inserted as amplifier 11.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

Apparatus for improving the gain versus frequency '11 characteristic of a high bandpass amplifier to a desired gain versus frequency characteristic that is substantially constant through an extended frequency spectrum extending from zero frequency to a predetermined'high frequency cutofi point of said extended spectrum, com prising a low bandpass amplifier having a gain G versus frequency characteristic which is greater than said high bandpass amplifier gain G versus frequency characteristic from zero frequency to a point'in the mid-area of said extended spectrum at which point said low bandpass amplifier characteristic intersects said high bandpass amplifier characteristic and subsequently drops at zero, said highband amplifier gain- G at said intersection being equal to said desired constant gain, an individual input signal. circuit for each said amplifier, an individual output signalcircuit for each said amplifier, means for ap plying a common input signal to the input signal circuits 12 of said first and secondamplifiers, a first signalsumming circuit linking the output eircuitsof said first and second amplifiers to provide a combined signal out, a second signal summing circuit interposed in the input signal ClI-' References Citedin the file of this patent UNITEDv STATES PATENTS McMillan May 29', 1956 Kuczun et a1, Feb. 12, 1957 

